Many telecommunication systems comprise three basic components: a signal switching point (“SSP”), a service control point (“SCP”), and a signal transfer point (“STP”), which facilitates communication between the SSP and the SCP. In operation, in response to a detected trigger (e.g., no answer, busy, etc.), the SSP sends a query message to the SCP, and the SCP consults its database and returns a response to the SSP. FIG. 6 is an example of such a telecommunication system 5. As shown in FIG. 6, the system 5 comprises a first Regional Bell Operating Company (“RBOC”) 10 and a second RBOC 20. Each RBOC 10, 20 comprises an STP 12, 22 and an SSP 14, 24. The first RBOC 10 also comprises an SCP 16.
To illustrate the operation of this system 5, consider the situation in which a calling party associated with SSP 14 calls a called party associated with SSP 24. In this example, the called party subscribes to a Caller ID service. When SSP 24 receives the call from the calling party, it sends a query to the SCP 16 to determine the name of the calling party. When the SCP 16 receives the query, it consults its database to determine the name associated with the calling party's number and returns the name to SSP 24 for display to the called party.
The collection and maintenance of data in an SCP can be costly, and conventional systems do not provide an adequate mechanism for billing for the use of the SCP. In the example above, the called party pays the second RBOC 20 a subscription fee for the Caller ID service. However, the system does not provide a mechanism for adequately charging SSP 24 for the use of the SCP 16.
There is, therefore, a need for an improved method and system for service control point billing.